A new web application called TxtMeBox allows anyone to set up an account so they can receive text messages without having to give out their phone number. When you sign up, you recive a link that you can post on your website (blog, wiki...etc) so that students or parents can click on the link and send you a text. Fortunately you also get a link to cancel all text messages, so that you can stop them if you get bombarded!
Teachers can create a text box so that they can receive texts without giving out their phone number.
Here is a link to text me. http://www.txtmebox.com/blyicen4yg
What do you think about using cellphones in the classroom?
Wiffitiallows you to bring this exciting technology to any student with access to text messaging for free. In short Wiffiti publishes real time messages to screens anywhere on any screen and this can be a tremendously powerful educational tool.
Ideas for Using Wiffiti with Students
1) Have students share their ideas regarding an acceptable use policy.
2) Have students share hypothesis about a subject the class is studying.
3) At the conclusion of a unit, have students share what they have learned.
4) Have weekly shout outs to recognize student achievement.
Here’s a list of things you can use a camera phone for in the classroom, in no particular order.
1. Whiteboard/Blackboard Archive Do you ever get done with a class and look at the board with regret because you have to erase everything you or your class just created? Snap a quick picture and archive that for future use. You could even post them on a class discussion board, wiki, blog, webpage or even just e-mail them to your class for review.
2. Handheld Scanner This one I take directly from the article. Remember those old spy movies, where the secret agents captured documents with a tiny secret mini-camera? Now we all have one. Believe it or not, photographing documents works. I don’t recommend stealing information, but for random paper information, notes … you can snap a picture to capture the data.
3. Reminder List Sometimes you see something that jogs your memory. Take a picture of that thing as a reminder of what you need to do.
4. Learn Student’s Names and Faces One of the biggest struggles we have as teachers is learning the names and faces of the constant rotation of students coming through our classes. Take some time at the beginning of the year to photograph the students, or even better yet, have them take pictures of each other and e-mail to you if they have that capability.
5. Security/Liability Device I hesitate adding this one in here, but we all know crazy things can happen in the classroom. Sometimes you may need to take a picture of something happening, or something that happened to protect yourself and your students.
6. Assignments Depending on the subject you teach, it may be appropriate to send the students out one day to take pictures of nature, people or other things. Try to think of ways to use the phone. Just using the phone in an assignment will help students be more excited about it. Remember, there’s nothing wrong with using technology as a motivator. It works great with these digital natives.
7. Instant Blogging This is one of my favorite options. If you are a blogger or have a class blog/website you can set up an e-mail address that you can post directly to that blog. You can give that address out to students or use it yourself. Granted, you need an internet connected phone for this, but I had to add it in. It is so awesome to be out in the middle of nowhere posting to a blog, archiving.
Beyond Classrooms Ted A. Lysiak, the director of instructional technology for the 6,300-student Euclid, Ohio, district, recently held training on Gcast for technology-resource teachers at several elementary schools. This winter, he said, cellphones will accompany students in grades 3 through 5 on field trips—to a concert and to an arboretum—though firmly under the control of a teacher. Students will have a list of questions; they will take turns calling in their responses and reflections to a Gcast page. "Ninety-five percent of cellphone activities are better done outside the classroom," noted Ms. Kolb, adding that emphasizing outside activities means that students can spend classroom time analyzing the content that has been collected or recorded, rather than fussing with technology issues. Emphasizing off-campus cellphone use also helps teachers work within the more restrictive school district rules.
2014-2015
www.thinglink.com
www.socrates.com
https://www13.state.nj.us/NJCCCS/TechnologyToolbox.aspx
For world language teachers
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2011/01/11-foreign-language-resources-to-try-in.html
Cell-phones in the classroom:
1. Treasure hunt: use the camera to prove finding necessary items
2. create the voice for your voki at www.voki.com
http://frenchatshawnee.wikispaces.com/French+2
3. create the soundtrack for your slide show at www.yodio.com
http://pdimick.over-blog.com/pages/Francais_3-3485711.html
4. make an audio presentation using www.ipadio.com
http://frenchatshawnee.wikispaces.com/French+3
5. Have a group comment on a picture or series of pictures with www.voicethread.com
Voicethread Picture Story: Un rendez-vous avec Pierre http://voicethread.com/share/1357104/
6. Poll students at www.polleverywhere.com
Example: http://www.polleverywhere.com/multiple_choice_polls/LTEwMDEyMTQ2NzI
7. Have students wallwrite at www.wiffiti.com
http://wiffiti.com/screens/40170
Here are some interesting ideas for incorporating technology in education.
10 Ideas for Using Cell Phones in Education
- Student response polling or pop quizzes (no need to invest in additional devices)
- Use sms to find definitions, currency conversion, math equations, translation and more
- Use as an internet browser to access endless information
- Research
- Read news articles and current events
- Read books
- Download and use education programs such as Google Maps and use as GPS
- Use as a digital or video camera to accompany school projects, publishing, etc.
- Educate students on appropriate and acceptable social use
- Use the voice technology to share engaging lectures or lessons
Here are a few places educators can visit to learn more about how to use cell phones to enhance teaching and learning.5 Resources for Educators Interested in Enhancing Education with Cell Phones
1. See if your school district offers classes like we do at the NYC DOE.
2. Read this article about What Can You Learn From A Cell Phone? - Almost Anything! - How to use the 1.5 billion computers already in our students' and trainees' pockets to increase learning, at home and around the world
-Marc Prensky
3. Visit From Toy to Tool – Cell Phones in Learning a blog dedicated to conversing on methods for integrating cell phones into classroom learning by Liz Kolb.
4. Access to a camera phone? Check out 8 Ways to use Camera Phones in Education by Jeff VanDrimmelen of EduTechie.com
5. Check out this PowerPoint by Sharon Tonner about Mobile Phones In Education - Constructive Not Deconstructive!
Toys for Tools
Recommended For K-12
- iPadio (Live Mobile Podcasting)
- DailyBooth (Mobile Phototweeting)
- Drop.io (Mobile Media Storage and Podcasting) Sign up code "cellphonesinlearning"
- Polleverywhere (Mobile Polls)
- Udefn (Everything's a txt away)
- Yodio (Mobile Digital Storybooks)
Recieve text messages without giving out your number!Posted byLiz Kolb
at 8:53 PM
Labels: TxtMeBox
A new web application called TxtMeBox allows anyone to set up an account so they can receive text messages without having to give out their phone number. When you sign up, you recive a link that you can post on your website (blog, wiki...etc) so that students or parents can click on the link and send you a text. Fortunately you also get a link to cancel all text messages, so that you can stop them if you get bombarded!
Teachers can create a text box so that they can receive texts without giving out their phone number.
Here is a link to text me.
http://www.txtmebox.com/blyicen4yg
What do you think about using cellphones in the classroom?
Ideas for Using Wiffiti with Students
1) Have students share their ideas regarding an acceptable use policy.
2) Have students share hypothesis about a subject the class is studying.
3) At the conclusion of a unit, have students share what they have learned.
4) Have weekly shout outs to recognize student achievement.
Here’s a list of things you can use a camera phone for in the classroom, in no particular order.
1. Whiteboard/Blackboard Archive
Do you ever get done with a class and look at the board with regret because you have to erase everything you or your class just created? Snap a quick picture and archive that for future use. You could even post them on a class discussion board, wiki, blog, webpage or even just e-mail them to your class for review.
2. Handheld Scanner
This one I take directly from the article.
Remember those old spy movies, where the secret agents captured documents with a tiny secret mini-camera? Now we all have one. Believe it or not, photographing documents works.
I don’t recommend stealing information, but for random paper information, notes … you can snap a picture to capture the data.
3. Reminder List
Sometimes you see something that jogs your memory. Take a picture of that thing as a reminder of what you need to do.
4. Learn Student’s Names and Faces
One of the biggest struggles we have as teachers is learning the names and faces of the constant rotation of students coming through our classes. Take some time at the beginning of the year to photograph the students, or even better yet, have them take pictures of each other and e-mail to you if they have that capability.
5. Security/Liability Device
I hesitate adding this one in here, but we all know crazy things can happen in the classroom. Sometimes you may need to take a picture of something happening, or something that happened to protect yourself and your students.
6. Assignments
Depending on the subject you teach, it may be appropriate to send the students out one day to take pictures of nature, people or other things. Try to think of ways to use the phone. Just using the phone in an assignment will help students be more excited about it. Remember, there’s nothing wrong with using technology as a motivator. It works great with these digital natives.
7. Instant Blogging
This is one of my favorite options. If you are a blogger or have a class blog/website you can set up an e-mail address that you can post directly to that blog. You can give that address out to students or use it yourself.
Granted, you need an internet connected phone for this, but I had to add it in. It is so awesome to be out in the middle of nowhere posting to a blog, archiving.
Beyond Classrooms Ted A. Lysiak, the director of instructional technology for the 6,300-student Euclid, Ohio, district, recently held training on Gcast for technology-resource teachers at several elementary schools.
This winter, he said, cellphones will accompany students in grades 3 through 5 on field trips—to a concert and to an arboretum—though firmly under the control of a teacher. Students will have a list of questions; they will take turns calling in their responses and reflections to a Gcast page.
"Ninety-five percent of cellphone activities are better done outside the classroom," noted Ms. Kolb, adding that emphasizing outside activities means that students can spend classroom time analyzing the content that has been collected or recorded, rather than fussing with technology issues. Emphasizing off-campus cellphone use also helps teachers work within the more restrictive school district rules.
Changing pdf's to Word!
http://www.pdftoword.com/